1988 Sportflics #126 - Candy Maldonado

• After having several not-so-hot years with the hated Dodgers, Candy Maldonado had a couple of productive seasons with the Giants
• Candy's two best seasons were 1986 (.252, 18 HR, 85 RBI) and 1987 (.292, 20 HR, 85 RBI)
• Maldonado's production started to wane in 1988 and after a poor season in 1989 he left the Giants and signed with the Cleveland Indians as a free agent

Giants Playoff Right Fielders

• 1951 Don Mueller (.277, 16 HR, 69 RBI)

1951 Bowman #268

• 1954 Don Mueller (.342, 4 HR, 71 RBI, 90 runs scored)

1954 Topps #42

• 1962 Felipe Alou (.316, 25 HR, 98 RBI, 96 runs scored)

1962 Topps  #133

• 1971 Bobby Bonds (.288, 33 HR, 102 RBI, 110 runs scored)

1971 Topps #295

• 1987 Candy Maldonado (.292, 20 HR, 85 RBI)

1987 Topps #335

• 1989 Candy Maldonado (.217, 9 HR, 41 RBI)

1989 Topps #495

• 1997 Glenallen Hill (.261, 11 HR, 64 RBI)

1997 Topps #221

• 2000 Ellis Burks (.344, 24 HR, 96 RBI)

2000 Topps #415

• 2002 Reggie Sanders (.250, 23 HR, 85 RBI)

2002 Topps Traded Gold #T29

• 2003 Jose Cruz Jr. (.250, 20 HR, 68  RBI, 90 runs scored)

2003 Topps Traded Gold #T69

• 2010 Nate Schierholtz (.242, 3 HR, 17 RBI) - several others saw action in RF

2010 Topps #318

1989 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

Mike Aldrete (#158) didn't play for the Giants in 1989. He was traded to the Montreal Expos before the season for Tracy Jones.

Kevin Mitchell (#189) was the NL MVP in 1989. He played left field and batted .291 with 47 HR and 125 RBI.

Brett Butler (#241) batted .283, scored 100 runs, and stole 31 bases for the Giants in 1989.

Joel Youngblood (#304) didn't play for the Giants in 1989. He became a free agent after the 1988 season and signed with the Cincinnati Reds to finish his career.

Donell Nixon (#447) batted .265 in 166 at bats as a backup outfielder in 1989.

Candy Maldonado (#495) played right field for the Giants and batted .217 with 9 HR and 41 RBI in 129 games.

Others who played in the outfield but who didn't get 1989 Topps Giants cards:

Pat Sheridan batted .205 in 161 at bats.

Tracy Jones batted .186 in 97 at bats.

Jim Weaver batted .200 in 20 at bats.

1986 Topps Giants - Part 4 (outfielders)

• Jeffrey Leonard (#490) played in 89 games, batting .279 with 6 HR and 42 RBI. He played his last 1986 game on July 29. Leonard was acquired by the Giants early in the 1981 season and stayed with the Giants until he was traded to Milwaukee for Ernest Riles on June 8, 1988. Jeffrey continued to play until he was released by the Seattle Mariners after the 1990 season.
  
  

• Rob Deer (#249) didn't play for the Giants in 1986. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for two minor leaguers after the 1985 season.
  
  
  

• Joel Youngblood (#177) was a utilityman in 1986. He batted .255 in 97 games. Youngblood played every infield position, LF, and RF.
  
  
  

• Candy Maldonado (#69T) led the Giants in home runs with 18 and in RBI with 85. He batted .252 in 405 at bats.
  
  
  
  
  

• Ron Roenicke (#63) didn't play for the Giants in 1986. He was released during spring training in 1986 and caught on with the Oakland A's. He played for six teams in eight seasons from 1981-1988.
  
  
  

• Here's a "Turn Back the Clock" card of Willie Mays (#403). These are pretty cool cards. I'd like to see Topps do this more often. The back of this card features several career milestones of HOFers like Aaron, Kaline, Banks, Killebrew, Frank Robinson, Bob Gibson, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Lou Brock. Mays is on this card because in '71 he hit his 638 career home run, which was also his 1950th run scored, which set a National League record.
  
  
  
  

Others who played OF for the Giants but didn't get a 1986 Topps Giants card:

• Chili Davis (.278 with 13 HR, 70 RBI, 84 BB in 153 games as the starting RF)
• Dan Gladden (.276 in 102 games as the starting CF, led the team with 27 stolen bases)
• Randy Kutcher (.237 in 186 AB in his rookie season)
• Randy Bockus (0 for 1 in six games)

1987 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

Joel Youngblood (#759) batted .253 in 91 at bats for the Giants as a utility player. Youngblood was a versatille bench player for the Giants from 1983-1988. He ended his career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1989.

Chili Davis (#672) batted .250 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI. He walked 72 times, giving him a .344 on base percentage. He became a free agent after the season and signed with the California Angels. Davis eventually finished his career with the New York Yankees in 1999.

Candy Maldonado (#335) batted .292 with 20 home runs and 85 RBI. He was acquired by the Giants in a rare trade with the Dodgers in 1986. He played for the Giants through the 1989 season and eventually finished up with the Texas Rangers in 1995.

Jeffrey Leonard (#280) batted .280 with 19 HR and 63 RBI. Leonard was the Giants' lone representative to the 1987 All Star Game. He and Chili Davis also led the Giants in stolen bases with 16. Jeffrey played for the Giants from 1981 until the middle of the 1988 season when he was traded to the Brewers for Ernie Riles. He finished his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1990.

Dan Gladden (#46) didn't play for the Giants in 1987. During spring training he was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Bryan Hickerson and two minor leaguers.

Mike Aldrete (#71) had a nice season as the 4th outfielder in 1987. He batted .325 with nine homers and 51 RBI in 357 at bats. Mike had a .396 on base percentage. Mike was traded to the Montreal Expos after the 1988 season for Tracy Jones. He played for a total of seven teams from 1986-1996.

1988 Topps Giants -- Part 3

Eddie Milner didn't play for the Giants in 1988. He became a free agent after the 1987 season and signed with the Cincinnati Reds.

Dave Henderson didn't play for the Giants in 1988. He became a free agent after the 1987 season and signed with the Oakland A's.

Mike Aldrete started in LF for much of the season. He batted .267 in 389 at bats. He had only 18 extra-base hits (.329 slugging percentage).

Jeffrey Leonard batted .256 in 44 games. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 8 for Ernest Riles.

Joel Youngblood batted .252 in 123 at bats as a pinch hitter and extra outfielder.

Candy Maldonado was the starting right fielder and batted .255 with 12 HR and 68 RBI.

Brett Butler was the starting center fielder. He batted .287 with 109 runs scored, 97 walks, and 43 stolen bases.

Chili Davis didn't play for the Giants in 1988. He became a free agent and signed with the California Angels before the 1988 season.

Today in Giants' History - September 5

1904 - In Front of 37,000 fans the Giants sweep the Beaneaters, beating Boston 6-1 and 4-3. Christy Mathewson wins the opener, beating Kaiser Wilhelm, and is not scored upon until the 9th when Jim Delahanty and Tom Needham triple. Red Ames wins the nitecap. Following the Giant sweep, excited fans hoist John McGraw up to carry him to the Polo Grounds field house. But McGraw gets dropped during the excitement, sustaining a sprained ankle.

1998: Giants outfielder Barry Bonds sets a new National League mark reaching base in 15 consecutive plate appearances. His five singles, two doubles, two homers and six walks during the streak breaks Dodger Pedro Guerrero's mark of 14 established in 1983. Armando Rios hits home runs for his first two major league hits. Expos' third baseman Shane Andrews accomplished the same feat on April 27 and 28 in 1995.

Born on this day: 1960 - Candy Maldonado, outfielder

Thanks to baseball reference.

1990 Topps Giants - Part 3

Rick Parker batted .243 in 107 at bats. He batted .335 in 44 games for AAA Phoenix. Rick spent parts of five more seasons in the majors (1991, 1993-1996)

Rick Leach batted .293 in 174 at bats in 1990. He had a .372 on base percentage. It was his last season in the majors.

Donell Nixon didn't play for the Giants in 1990. He was released by the Giants in spring training. Nixon signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He spent most of the season with AAA Rochester and played eight games with the Orioles (his last appearances as a major leaguer).

Candy Maldonado didn't play for the Giants in 1990. He became a free agent after the 1989 season and signed with the Cleveland Indians.

Brett Butler started in center field. He batted .309 with 51 stolen bases and 90 walks in 160 games in 1990. He led the Giants with 108 runs scored.

Kevin Mitchell was the starting left fielder. He batted .290 and led the Giants with 35 home runs. Kevin knocked in 93 runs and scored 90 runs.

Pat Sheridan didn't play for the Giants in 1990. He became a free agent after the 1989 season and signed with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals released him in spring training and he signed with the Chicago Cubs. Pat played 23 games for the Cubs' AAA Iowa club.

Kevin was the starting LF in the 1990 All Star game. He went 0-2 with one strikeout.

Greg Litton batted .245 in 204 at bats. He played some right field after Kevin Bass went out with an injury.

Speaking of Kevin Bass, he batted .252 in 63 games at the end of the season for the Giants. He was out from late May to early September with an injury.

Others who played outfield for the Giants but didn't get a 1990 Topps Giants card:

• Mike Kingery - .295 in 207 at bats. He started some games in RF while Kevin Bass was hurt.
• Mark Leonard - .176 in 17 at bats (mostly as a pinch hitter)
• Brad Komminsk - .200 in 8 at bats. He was signed in April and waived in May.